Discover the groundbreaking trio sonatas of Elia Vannini, a master of the Italian Baroque. Born in 1644, Vannini served for over two decades as maestro di cappella in Ravenna, yet his *Opus 1*, published in 1691, broke from tradition. Instead of sacred vocal music, he presented these inventive *Sinfonie a Tre*–a bold, instrumental statement that showcased his skill as a composer and educator.** This recording by Concerto Theresia brings Vannini’s revolutionary and elegantly crafted works to life, offering a fascinating glimpse into the sound world of 17th– century Italy. A must-listen for aficionados of early music and Baroque discovery.

Discerning listeners might recall me waxing lyrical about last year’s album Gilgamesh from Rubi Ate The Fig – an intriguing fusion of rock guitar and the Middle East, sold with the irresistible tag of “Led Zeppelin and Mahavishnu travelling through the desert, stopping to have tea with Grace Slick” – it certainly worked its exotic charms on me! Think of Zep’s classic Kashmir – particularly the subsequent Plant / Page reworking on the album No Quarter – and you begin to get the flavour of this band. We now have the band’s (sort of) follow-up full-length production, Desert Electric, released through UltraMarine Records. Let me explain…

"Some Pills for Ayala" is the solo project of Chilean musician Néstor Ayala Cortés, known for heavy psych, stoner, and space rock music. Reviews praise his work for its blend of heavy riffs, psychedelic and spacey sounds, catchy rhythms, and high-quality musicianship, despite being a one-person project. The music is described as trippy and fuzzy.

Over sixty well-known keyboard sonatas by Joseph Haydn (some of them of uncertain authorship) constitute a very interesting and diverse collection; nevertheless, they still have not been explored enough. As a continuum, they are not as coherent as the sonatas by Ludwig van Beethoven, each of which is a masterpiece. By contrast, Haydn’s complete sonatas can serve (and often do) as a model for explaining the evolution of the genre norms and deviations from them. The sonata oeuvre (as well as chamber or symphonic) of the oldest representative of the First Viennese School is a genuine melting pot of search for a new, nascent style, moving away from the Baroque era and the galant style (almost half of the keyboard sonatas were created rather for harpsichord). Some of these pieces are mainly didactic, but many are works of a mature talent and an expression of a very individual approach to the issues of form and texture, which do not easily fit into the text- book ‘lines of development’.

Lamia Yared and Efrén López announce their new album From Minho to Euphrates - bridging eight centuries of sacred and secular traditions.

There’s no single path through the belly of Citrus Citrus’ new album. Only spirals. Reflections. Threads that intertwine and dissolve. In the Belly of Eternal Draw is an invitation for the listener to get freely lost.

There’s a myth about second albums—that they’re difficult, even “cursed.” But for me, Stella felt like a walk in the park compared to my debut. Nova, released in 2024, was my first solo album. The process was intense and overwhelming, but I’m deeply proud of the result.

For four decades, Spanish guitarist Paco de Lucia's jazzy, Mephisto-like technique redefined flamenco. This album, which means 'Good Small Things,' is de Lucia’s first release in five years, and it's been worth the wait. Most of the eight tracks feature just de Lucia, a chorus of vocalists, percussion, and the zesty handclaps called palmas. Lucia and company take you through the Moorish, Jewish, and Gypsy inventions and dimensions of flamenco, from the buleria 'Patio Custodio' and the torrid tientos 'El Tesorillo' to the moody, mid-tempo buleria por solea 'Antonia'.

Sean Fyfe's third album under his own name, featuring Dave O'Higgins on tenor saxophone, Matt Fishwick on drums and Luke Fowler on bass. In an era when the echoes of jazz legends resonate through the ages, Canadian jazz pianist Sean Fyfe emerges as a torchbearer of the hard-bop tradition. For his third album as leader he is joined by Dave O'Higgins on tenor saxophone, Matt Fishwick on drums and Luke Fowler on bass. This new album 'Follow-Up' features six Fyfe original compositions.

The Canterbury Choristers at Christmas is a quintessential holiday recording that captures the sublime and timeless sound of the world-renowned Canterbury Cathedral Choristers under the direction of David Newsholme and David Rees-Williams. This album fills the majestic space of the cathedral with a program of cherished Christmas carols and hymns, from the serene to the triumphant. The pure, crystalline voices of the choristers, supported by the cathedral's magnificent organ, create an atmosphere of profound reverence and festive joy, making it an essential and uplifting listen for the Christmas season.

The lights are dimmed. There is no screen - only silence. Then a single cello breathes life into a melody, the piano responds softly, and suddenly you find yourself in a movie that exists only in your imagination. Film Music, Volume I is not a soundtrack to a movie - it is a soundtrack to emotions, memories and the silent stories we all carry within us. Cellist Joachim Eijlander and pianist Jeroen van Veen bring cinema to life without a single frame, transforming the music of the great masters of film into an intimate dialog.

Bringing fresh vitality to two of Beethoven’s most captivating theatrical scores, this recording unites the Berlin Symphony Orchestra and the Berlin Concert Chorus under the assured direction of Hans-Hubert Schonzeler. König Stephan and Die Ruinen von Athen—both composed to accompany dramatic stage works—reveal Beethoven at his most vivid, blending ceremonial grandeur with moments of lyrical intimacy and striking dramatic flair.

A poetic encounter between East and West, 33 Enchanted Strings brings together the delicate, expressive voice of the Chinese guzheng, played by acclaimed artist Ji Wei, and the resonant tones of the unique 12-string DODEKA-guitar by Anders Miolin, in a contemplative, cross-cultural dialogue.

British pianist Ophelia Gordon makes a striking debut with this album of works by Nikolai Kapustin, the Soviet composer whose music fuses the harmonic language and rhythmic drive of jazz with the formal precision of classical composition. Though Kapustin’s music sounds improvised, every note is meticulously written – jazz in spirit, but classical in structure.

Irish folk legend Christy Moore releases his new album, A Terrible Beauty, through Claddagh Records.